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What’s the truth behind cryptocurrencies aiding terror financing?

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Cryptocurrency’s role in terror financing and funding militant groups has come under renewed scrutiny following a deadly attack in Israel by Palestinian Hamas.

Israel has seized crypto accounts it says are allegedly linked to Hamas. US lawmakers have urged the government to crack down on the use of cryptocurrencies by Hamas and its affiliates.

Cryptocurrencies have gained attention for their potential use in illicit finance due to several factors. 

Firstly, setting up a cryptocurrency wallet address is relatively easy, and it often doesn’t require the same identity verification checks as traditional bank accounts. 

This pseudonymous nature allows individuals to send and receive cryptocurrency without revealing their true identity.

Another key factor is the global and borderless nature of blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies. Transactions can occur digitally across international borders, making it an attractive option for moving funds quickly. 

Furthermore, cryptocurrencies are subject to less specific regulation than traditional finance, although regulatory measures are being introduced in some regions.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global body responsible for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, has expressed concerns that cryptocurrencies could become a safe haven for illicit financial transactions.

While cryptocurrencies offer a degree of privacy, transactions on blockchain networks are permanently recorded and publicly visible. 

This means that while it may be challenging for outsiders to identify the parties involved in a transaction, blockchain analytics firms have developed tools to track funds and transactions. 

To link these flows to specific individuals or groups, researchers typically rely on information not directly recorded by the blockchain, such as customer data from cryptocurrency exchanges.

Crypto mixers and the movement of funds through various exchanges can further obscure the trail of funds, making it difficult to trace the source and destination of cryptocurrencies.

The exact extent of cryptocurrency use in terrorist financing remains uncertain. Experts suggest that while some militant groups have employed cryptocurrencies, they constitute a relatively small portion of their overall funding. 

A United Nations official mentioned that a few years ago, around 5% of terrorist attacks were considered to be financed by cryptocurrencies, with the potential for this figure to rise to 20%. 

However, the vast majority of terrorist financing still relies on traditional financial methods.

Terrorist financing is just one facet of illicit activities involving cryptocurrencies. Scams, ransomware attacks, and theft constitute a significant portion of cryptocurrency-related crimes. 

In 2022, cryptocurrency crime reached a record $20.1 billion, with cyberattacks contributing substantially to this figure. 

Cryptocurrency theft via cyberattacks is also reported as a source of funding for North Korea, according to UN reports. 

Some banks in the UK have taken measures to restrict customer access to cryptocurrencies due to a surge in crypto-related scams.

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Tessori promises to teach 50,000 children IT courses.

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In order to provide children with technical education and training, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has made the decision to set up IT classes for 50,000 children.

The governor urged the youth to play a vital part in the nation’s growth during a ceremony held here on Thursday.

“Pakistan has an abundance of skill. We will have to play our role in the development of the country. We will have to work to improve our economy,” the governor said.

He urged the overseas Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan and play their role in making the country prosperous.

Addressing the youth of the country, Kamran Tessori said, “Pakistan should be our priority. We need to do everything for Pakistan.

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Cybersecurity firm reports exposure of sensitive DeepSeek data on the internet.

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The New York-based cybersecurity firm Wiz has discovered a cache of sensitive data from the Chinese artificial intelligence business DeepSeek that was mistakenly exposed to the public internet.

In a blog post released on Wednesday, Wiz reported that examinations of DeepSeek’s infrastructure revealed that the company had inadvertently exposed over a million lines of unencrypted data. The materials were digital software keys and chat logs that seemingly documented prompts transmitted from consumers to the company’s complimentary AI assistant.

The chief technical officer of Wiz stated that DeepSeek promptly safeguarded the data following the notice from his organisation.

“It was removed in under an hour,” stated Ami Luttwak. “However, this was exceedingly easy to locate, leading us to believe we are not the sole discoverers.”

DeepSeek did not promptly respond to a request for comment.

DeepSeek’s rapid success after the introduction of its AI helper has exhilarated China and incited concern in America. The Chinese company’s evident capacity to rival OpenAI’s skills at a significantly reduced cost has raised concerns regarding the viability of the business models and profit margins of U.S. AI behemoths like Nvidia and Microsoft.

By Monday, it surpassed the U.S. competitor ChatGPT in downloads from Apple’s App Store, prompting a worldwide decline in technology stocks.

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WhatsApp launches bulk channel management functionality

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WhatsApp has initiated testing of a bulk channel administration feature on iOS for select beta users, enabling the simultaneous selection of many channels, hence enhancing the efficiency of managing following channels.

This essential update enables users to perform bulk activities, including muting many channels simultaneously, designating them as read, and altering notifications. If the chosen channels are muted, users will now have the option to activate notifications. Users can swiftly silence unmuted channels in one action.

Additionally, this feature enables users to unfollow many channels simultaneously, thereby optimizing the process of decluttering their channel list. This change is particularly beneficial for users that oversee numerous subscriptions, as reported by WABetaInfo.

Previously, users were required to manage each channel individually, rendering tasks such as muting or designating channels as read laborious and time-consuming.

The functionality provides enhanced flexibility and control over channel subscriptions, enabling users to efficiently manage notifications. The solution streamlines laborious operations for consumers who subscribe to numerous channels, hence enhancing their entire experience.

Accessibility
The bulk management feature is presently accessible exclusively to a limited number of beta testers who installed the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS using the TestFlight application. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, plans to expand the feature’s availability to a larger user base in the next weeks.

This update demonstrates WhatsApp’s dedication to enhancing user experience by offering a clear and efficient method for managing channels and notifications.

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